Grey Eyes
by Timekpr
Summary: The nature of names even companions are seen by time in a different light.


It was one of the few places where she fit right in, not that anyone or anything would have looked out of place on a space station that appeared to be constructed of stray bits of junk secured with a generous application of of duct tape. Lime green duct tape. He insisted this was a quick stop, "Just get the binary intraseismic gravity flux compensator re-calibrated and straight off again, no worries." Martha had ducked reflexively at his words having learned that no worries was doctor-speak for "INCOMING".

Four days later sitting under a cafe umbrella fashioned of windscreens from salvaged spaceships she knew that boredom was the only peril likely to prove fatal at this stop. Days one and two had mostly consisted of unexplained banging noises punctuated by occasional snippets of nonsense syllables leaking out from under the grate in the console room. Day three had dawned with a triumphant grin as he emerged from the depths clutching what seemed to a bright pink yo-yo triumphantly. Now on day four she was drinking bad coffee in a dockside cafe while he roamed the market in search of a telepathic mechanic, having spent most of the previous day discovering that re-calibrating the yo-yo was beyond his skills.

Martha sighed deeply and took a longer look around the spaceport. For all that it was far more alien than most of their destinations it was just like any petrol stop on the motorway - snack bars serving food you didn't really want to eat, overpriced souvenirs at the counters, beings brushing past one another intent on their own errands or killing time while their vehicles were repaired. To her the endless parade of new life forms should have been exciting but somehow it just wasn't the same excitement, not nearly the same as defending earth and humanity. I guess that's why I wanted to be a doctor, thought Martha, I guess deep down I just wanted to save human lives.

When a swirl of brown fabric caught the edge of her vision she perked, hoping he was back with a properly repaired bit. She was quite startled when the swirl of fabric resolved itself into a cape caught round the shoulders of a short female human with shocking red hair, clad in a diver's wet suit complete to the swim flippers on her feet. With a grace quite surprising in anyone wearing such cumbersome footgear she swung into the chair opposite Martha with a sigh.

"Which one are you then? The Gift?" Cool grey eyes under eyebrows of shocking red regarded Martha calmly. "You're not The Icon, that one lights up like a supernova. Bit old for the Legacy, aren't you?"

Martha answered without thought, "Martha Jones"

Blink, blink of eyelids over pearl grey followed by a slight smile "So, you don't have a name yet then, not a real one."

Indignation colored Martha's tone, "That is my real name, for your information, the one my parents gave me, in fact."

"It's not what time will call you, it never is." Long manicured nails combed back that firestorm of red hair, "No wonder I've had such a mess finding him in this time if you're too new to have a real name."

Suspicion grabbed Martha's gut, and she felt her pulse speeding a bit as she spoke "What him would that be?"

"Whichever him he is now, I thought it would still be The Lonely God, but given that its him it could be anyone, not that the Oncoming Storm is likely to come here for repairs. But its possible, anythings possible with him, you'll learn that soon enough." Bold eyebrows arched over stormcloud eyes, "I'm the mechanic, you see. Just need to find the client and I'll have you two off in no time at all." Her widening smile somehow conveyed the irony of discussing time with the Companion of a Time Lord.

Martha sat in silence for a moment. Just got to process this through and it will make sense, though the little voice in her head was reminding her that very little in time and space made sense these days. "You're looking for the Doctor then? He's out here somewhere looking for you, at least I think he is. We're needing a telepathic mechanic."

"And Bloody Brilliant you are Martha, you've found us one!" The Doctor's rather unruly hair shot into view followed by his glowing grin. "Just exactly what we needed!" The pink yo-yo rolled out across the table coming to rest against the coffee cup with a faint thud.

"Still claiming to be the Doctor then, are you. You're trying to go swimming against time, Doctor." Those perfect nails now stroked over the yo-yo, but the mechanics disturbing gaze now focused on the Doctor.

Martha rose abruptly as darkness filled the Doctor's eyes, she'd seen his lightning mood shifts often enough to know he was about to do something that she'd regret having seen. Being ready to run was the only preparation she could make and her body tensed in anticipation of his next words.

The Doctor leaned forward, shadowing the tiny woman at the table "You don't get to judge me for being the Doctor, not now, not ever. I've earned a name or two but this is who I am because its who I've chosen to be." Anger spilled into his voice and Martha could see the tension in his shoulders as he loomed over the slight woman seated at the table. "I was the Oncoming Storm, once, and I can be him again." His voice was filled with a cold threat that sent a physical shiver through Martha's body.

Steel grey eyes rested again on the Doctor as the mechanic rose, forcing him back a step. He rocked back on his heels as one slim hand reached out to Martha cradling the deep red yo-yo. Martha took the offering and was nearly jerked off her feet as the Doctor yanked her back, hauling her toward the TARDIS. She tried to look back over her shoulder but the crowd already blocked her view.

It wasn't until they were back in the TARDIS that Martha realized the woman's lips had never moved.

Epilogue

Fog-pale eyes of grey watched over Martha's departing figure and something that might have been regret passed over her so-human face. In this alien place she sat at the table for a long time after they were gone. Soot grey eyes shone with unshed tears. Soon, too soon he would learn Martha's true identity.

It was the Storyteller who had touched her hand so briefly, the one who's stories would save all of humanity.


End file.
